Mark Story: In the unending war between Calipari and Pitino, Ricky P. has won the latest battle

LEXINGTON, Ky. — Over the past 10 days, the coaching conflict that has defined Kentucky college hoops in the 21st century has flipped 180 degrees.

In what has essentially been an unending war between the “House of Calipari” and the “House of Pitino,” the forces of “Ricky P.” have secured a stunning victory.

On April 8, the embattled Calipari resigned after 15 seasons holding the head men’s basketball coaching job at the University of Kentucky to take the same position at Arkansas.

Three days later, in a surprise move, Kentucky hired BYU head man Mark Pope — the captain of Rick Pitino’s 1996 NCAA championship team at UK — as the Wildcats head man.

Just like that, control of one of college basketball’s most-coveted realms has passed from Calipari to the Pitino coaching line.

In a coaching rivalry long punctuated by enmity, one thing that longtime antagonists Calipari and Pitino have agreed upon is the appeal of being the UK men’s hoops head coach.

In the video announcing his departure as Wildcats coach, Calipari referred to UK as “my dream job.”

Pitino, meanwhile, often refers to coaching at Kentucky as “Camelot.” He has recently taken to admitting that departing UK as head coach to lead the Boston Celtics in 1997 is the great regret of his career.

“If I had it to do all over again, I’d probably never leave Kentucky,” Pitino told Barstool Sports’ “Pardon My Take” podcast last month.

In the 1990s, Pitino led UK from the depths of a crippling NCAA probation incurred due to violations in the Eddie Sutton coaching era to five NCAA Tournament Elite Eights, three Final Fours and the 1996 NCAA title.

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